


They can

by purplefox



Category: DCU (Comics), Smallville
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Oneshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-27
Updated: 2018-10-27
Packaged: 2019-08-08 07:40:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16425224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purplefox/pseuds/purplefox
Summary: Clark never thought he would be seeking Lex out to talk but well he would not have thought his son and Lex would actually listen either





	They can

It had been a long day for Clark. He hated the circus that officials had him do, it got in the way of his actual work but in a way he was glad because he had managed to stop something. He had saved people and prevented something bad from happening. He had done all of that but he was angry at the same time.

If someone had been watching and listening. If people had cared this would not have been a problem. If people had given at least two fucks towards the children this would have never gotten so bad and such a situation would have never gotten blown out of proportion.

It was not his bad case, it was not the worst thing he had seen while rescuing but he was tired now. It was the same thing, it was always the same thing. It always hurt his hearT too. There was only so much he could stand to watch happen.

There was only so much anyone, even he could endure.

When he picked Lex’s tower as his destination he did not even know. That should be the last place he should go. He should go by Lois’s apartment. Hell he should fly to Gotham and at least talk to Bruce. Bruce would listen and Bruce would understand. Lois would try to talk it out with him.

But he did none of that, instead he flew towards Lex’s penthouse and landed on the balcony. He stared at the glass door for a few long moments before he worked up the energy to open the door and enter.

What he expected to see in Lex’s penthouse he was unsure. Maybe a security team rushing to see what the unforeseen entry was. Mercy aiming a gun at his head with a cold expression. He had not expected that he would not be Lex’s first visitor for the night.

Sprawled on Lex’s expensive white leather armchairs across from each other was Clark’s son and Lex. He was actually surprised to see Kon while he really should not. Both of them looked up at his entry, he guessed he had interrupted some quiet discussion. That was not what he was focused on however.

His focus was on the drink in Kon’s hand. He felt like groaning. After everything he had seen and felt during the day he was not in the mood to have to scold Kon or Lex. The most he could do was fold his arms and scowl at Lex because while Kon did what he wanted to do and rarely listened to Clark, Lex knew better.

Lex prided himself on being the better parent. He threw it in Clark’s face at every meeting. He was proud about it and he gloated about it openly. There was little Clark could do with Kon taking Lex’s side most of the time. He never saw those two butt heads on anything.

They always teamed up against him and Kon ran to Lex about anything he had a problem with. The way he snapped at Clark had gotten more like Lex as the months went by. there was little Clark could do about that. But he could at least point out that Kon should not have a wine glass in his hand at sixteen. Even with parental supervision.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Kon rolled his eyes after Clark remained silent. “You pop up out of nowhere and start silently bitching already?”

“As eager as I am to get to the heart of the matter, you being here.” Lex said dryly. “I have to point out that Kon-El is a superhero. His age doesn’t prevent him from taking on troubles most adults don’t even have to face.” He took a sip from his glass as a smile spread across his face. “Also if you think I’d let my son drink anything I haven’t vetted myself or made myself you must have lost more than a few working braincells.”

“The hypocrisy in the league is doing fabulously as ever.” Kon muttered into his glass. “Break up a child porn ring but can’t drink afterwards. The adults get to drink away their horrors but we have to sleep on it.”

“Kon’s point aside.” Lex eyed his son for a few seconds before he continued. “I made that myself, aged it and made some changes to my favourite wine. It couldn’t get an ant drunk Clark but it has the same taste and form as any other of my most prized bottles. I doubt Kon could get drunk anyway. The genes he inherited from us makes that very unlikely.”

“Hitting him with the facts so early Dad?” Kon finished his glass and lapped his feet. “So now that you know the minor isn’t drinking away his woes. What bring you here Clark.”

“I-“ Clark shifted and relaxed his arms. His gaze went from Kon to Lex before he stared at the glass table separating them and the bottle of apparently non-alcoholic wine on it. “I just felt like talking.”

“To Lex?” Kon snorted. “Are you feeling okay? When do you come talk to Dad? Hell do you want me to leave?”

“You can stay… it just occurred to me.” Clark laughed softly. “That you might understand as well.” He could have taken a seat but instead he crossed the room to examine the painting of Saturn’s moon Lex had gotten commissioned. “Sometimes it’s hard you know. The things you see. The parts of people that you are confronted with.”

“There’s always the urge to do something. Let yourself go and solve the situation permanently in the way only you can.” Lex said softly. “Clark…” He heard Lex stand up and the soft clink of Lex setting his empty glass down. “Feeling like that from time to time shows you are disconnected from others emotions. The job you and Kon have undertaken for yourselves is harder than most would understand. There were always be that tempting feeling.” Lex’s voice came closer. “And you’ll always fight it.”

“You’ll always see something ugly in humanity. Things you would never thing people could be capable of.” Kon said softly. “People will always do shitty disgusting things. Doesn’t make it right it just means we have to stop them. It means we have to find ways to make people want to change and to stop things before they can get that fucking horrifying. But when you see some shit the urge will be there to cross the line and do more. But we won’t cross it, no matter how angry we get.” Kon finished softly. Clark listened to his son pour himself another glass. “No matter how close we get.”

“You aren’t the villains in this story.” Clark relaxed with Lex’s hand on his shoulder. He allowed the man to pull him away from the painting to where Kon sat. “If you didn’t feel that need and that hatred from the worst that humanity had to offer then and only then would you be the cold gods people fear you becoming.” Lex hid a smile as he continued. “Then we would have a problem. You’re supposed to be angry, you’re supposed to be conflicted and disgusted. It’s another part of being a hero. Didn’t you know?”

Clark watched Lex reach over to Kon and remove the bottle and glass from his hand. He found himself smiling as Lex finished the glass. Kon rolled his eyes before he got to his feet. He tugged on the hem of his shirt and gave a longing sigh towards the bottle before met Clark’s eyes and looked away.

“Clark I honestly thought Bruce would have let you know these things by now.” Lex rested the bottle back on the table. “Stop worrying about what lines you can’t cross. The grey lines are for others.” Clark should disagree, he should say something.

He should be mad, he should be angry but he was just so damn tired all he could do was fall into a spare chair and give a huge sigh. At this point he just wanted to believe in Lex’s words if only for a while.

 


End file.
